A Hero
by Leefreak
Summary: Everyday was an adventure and suddenly I was someone that everyone could count on. I had found my place. I wasn't Rapunzel or a knight in shining armor. I was a hero.


**Prologue**

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I lived in an orphanage for a large part of my childhood. It wasn't much of a home but it was all I knew. It was a small building that sat at the end of a long dirt path outside the Candy Kingdom. I remember ever since the day I was brought in to the orphanage as a baby I would look out the small window above my bed to the towering Candy Castle. I starred at it in awe as I imagined myself as one of the beautiful princesses I heard about in books. Rapunzel was my favorite as a child, considering we both shared long golden hair. Once a week I would hear most of these stories from the prince of the Candy Kingdom. Each day he came he would greet me and all of the other kids with a warm embrace. He made each and every one of us feel special and when he had to return to his kingdom I eagerly awaited his next visit. In my daydreams I would stand atop of the large balcony of the pink candy tower and my hero prince Bubblegum would ride in on his trusty steed lord monochromicorn. I would let down my long blonde hair, he would climb up like rope and we would kiss passionately.

Prince Gumball was my hero and the day he was taken hostage was the day the land of 'Aaa' grew dark and cold. I was ten at the time that is now spoken of as the 'year of ice'. A wicked old women, obsessed with power and the prince made her way into the kingdom with shards of ice slashing through anyone who stood in her way. From the window where I used to look out to watch the glorious castle, I now watched as the ice witch stood and covered the palace in ice with Gumball in shackles by her side. I remember for months and months wondering how Gumball could let this happen. Suddenly my hero was the victim…

One day as the other kids and I sat, huddled together under a small blanket, the ice witch burst through the front door of the orphanage. The young volunteer mint candy cane people rushed to our sides and held on to us tight as we all watched her with unease. Gumball followed behind her, being poked at with sharp spheres by tiny little penguins with angry faces. I felt a tear roll down the side of my dirt covered cheek as I watched the scene. The ice witch looked around the room in delight then grabbed Gumball's tied up hands.

"Oh, this will be a perfect spot for the wedding!" She exclaimed.

She danced over to an old wooden chair. She kicked it over, laughed then added. "Of course, once this awful building is torn down."

"You can't do that!" Gumball yelled out. After he said the words aloud he gasped, realizing what he had just done. The witch snapped her head over to him. Her upper lip twitched as she stared at him in anger.

"What did you say?" She snarled before wrapping her cold hands around his neck and lifting him off his feet. I watched in horror as Gumball struggled for a decent breath. My heart began to race as I waited for him to do something to get him out of her grasp. But as seconds turned to minuets it suddenly hit me that it was the prince who needed a hero. I hurriedly looked around the room. To the right of me was an old rusted stove and fridge. We considered the corner of the house in which they were placed the kitchen. What strangely caught my eye about this space was the dirty rag that had fallen to the floor in front of the stove and the hard pan that was on top of it. Suddenly I felt something click inside my head. Without even thinking any further I unraveled myself from the blanket and arms that covered me. The others stared at me like I was insane. I carefully made my way across the room unnoticed and grabbed the two objects that I needed. I held the items tightly in my hands and readied myself. Before I knew it I had jumped and wrapped the old rag around the witches head, covering her eyes. She released the prince and he fell to the floor gasping. I struck her in the head repeatedly with the pan. Suddenly her two penguins minions were at her feet trying to jab me with their spheres. I yelped out in pain each time one of them got me and I was beginning to struggle with keeping the witch at bay. I had almost fallen off the witch's shoulders when, to my surprise the other children and volunteers followed my lead and grabbed the heaviest things they could find. They began whacking at the little birds and they ran out of the building in tears screaming "quak quak quak!"

"Wait-what! They cannot leave me!" The witch screamed in a blind panic. Without warning the witch's hand caught my arm and I was swiftly sung forward off her shoulder onto the floor. I landed flat on my butt and I looked back at her as she threw the rag over her face onto the floor.

"You little brat!" A sharp piece of ice expelled from her bony hand at me but I quickly rolled and missed it. I continued to dodge her strikes until I was cornered under the small wooden table where we all sat to eat each morning and evening. I gasped for air and watched as the withes feet drew closer to me. When she reached me she threw the table to the other side of the room. There was nothing else that I could do or anywhere I could go. I was completely vulnerable.

I closed my eyes tightly and waited out my dismiss. But suddenly I heard something shatter and fall. I opened my eyes to find Gumball standing in front of me, staring down at the witch in shock. I followed his gaze and found her knocked out on the floor surrounded by the broken pieces of a vase. I smiled at Gumball and he simply laughed nervously, seeming to still be taking in everything. I stood to my feet and rushed over to the prince, hugged him and began to cry. It was all over. Finally we were free again.

Gumball knelt down to meet my wet eyes and told me that I was a hero. I felt my heart race at the words. Something about them felt so right. Then it hit me, In the back of my left shoulder to be exact. A diner knife that had fallen from the table stabbed into me and the ice witch laughed as the blood poured out of me. I looked around the room. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Slowly everyone's mouths opened in horrified screams but I heard nothing. Everything was becoming dimmer and I fell to the floor in pain. I watched as the witch stepped over me and froze the children and volunteers in blocks of ice. The prince backed away but she grabbed ahold of him. I couldn't let her get away with this. Not with how close we all were too normal again. I reached behind me and quickly pulled the knife from my flesh. I ran over to the ice witch and slashed the knife through the arm that held onto Gumball. She wailed and thrashed on the floor. This time Gumball, the defrosting children and volunteers and I ran out of the building to free the guards in the kingdom. But when we returned to the building she was gone with only a puddle of blood left behind.

For weeks everyone in the land of "Aaa" helped in the search for the ice witch. There wasn't even a trace of her and though we all wondered what became of her we were all happy to see Gumball in his rightful place in his throne. It seemed like everyone in existence celebrated his return. There were fireworks each night and music played all day. And in everyone's cheerfulness I had a celebration of my own. Gumball threw a large party in my honor the day after I saved him from the ice witch. We stood upon a large stage and everyone in the kingdom showered me in flowers and gifts. Gumball presented me with a large pink sword and told me that he knew I'd use it only for good. I stared at it in awe as I held it in my hands. It was very heavy but I was able to hold it up. I smiled at everyone in the crowd and thanked them for their kindness. Gumball surprised me by planting a soft kiss on my cheek. I blushed like a school girl. Gumball had also surprised me and the other children with a new orphanage. This time it was behind the kingdom's walls right beside the castle. The building was huge and built like a castle tower. There was a warm fire place in the living room along with some fluffy chairs. The kitchen was stocked with all kinds of delicious foods. I turned to the prince, I told him how grateful I was and hugged him tight. The other kids began to dig through all of the costumes and toys to play. Soon everything was getting back to normal. The prince ruled over the kingdom once again. Everyone was content and we all had our places in the world again.

But what was my place? When I turned eighteen I moved out of the orphanage. I could have left sooner but there was never any reason to when Gumball was giving me small missions all over the kingdom. Gumball and I became great friends as I grew older. I spent more of my time at the castle then I did at the orphanage. His guards would train me on how to use my sword every chance they had and after Gumball and I would hang around and make snacks and he'd show me his boring science experiments.

I arrived at my new home on an early summer morning. The air was warm and the sky was clear. When I stepped inside I rushed over to my bed and buried my face in a pillow. I loved the way it felt to finally have a place of my own. Each day I began to get calls from all over the land for my hero services. Everyday was an adventure and suddenly I was someone that everyone could count on. I had found my place. I wasn't Rapunzel or a knight in shining armor. I was a hero.


End file.
